Not sure if it was my first visit to the valley but it was around that sort of time i went to a firework display at the Valley - would have been late 70's probably. Anybody remember that?
Vs. Stoke in September 85, last game at The Valley. I remember a bunch of stuff; The walk to the ground, seeing Derek Hales outside, the pitch invasion and "We won't go to Selhurst Park" chanting, Rob Lee's goal, breaking down on the way home in the Vauxhall Viva and asking some strangers for water, while using old tights for a fan belt.
At the age of six, you assume that all happened every week. I guess with the Viva it pretty much did.
1971-2 season Charlton at home to Cardiff 2-2. My first memories was the noisy cardiff support and their large welsh flag. Loved the home crowds rendition of "all you welshmen...." made me laugh. Someone from Cardiff got a bad injury and then we had "bring on the dustbin" Also had the "you look in the dustbin" chant. Wooden rattles and standing on the vast east bank. We got relegated that season but that didnt stop me being Addickted.
Not sure if it was my first visit to the valley but it was around that sort of time i went to a firework display at the Valley - would have been late 70's probably. Anybody remember that?
Bexley dan, I do remember a game in Nov 76 Friday evening v Plymouth (or GAWS - if the Exeter fan is reading this!). Won 3-1, south terrace closed off for fireworks display.
Bizarrely an away game at of all places Shithurst Park in 1982, my Addick uncle took me along and I was hooked ever since. The game was a 1-1 draw (I think).
Very hard to remember, thought it was against Derby, thought that we won 2-1 couldn't remember the year. After checking on the net, it looks as if it was 3/10/81, cant find out who scored for us, i think Killer maybe he got both, really cant remember can anyone help?
april 1994, an epic 4-3 win at home to southend. im told it was alan pardew who ran from his own half to score the winner, my dad told me that as i cant remember it at all!
Thanks for that, i was dreading someone replying Hales didnt play in that game. Wish i could remember it clearer. I know i went with mates on the 51 from Orpington to Woolwich i was 13, would that happen now?
30 April 55 CAFC 0-4 PNE 30 April 05 (then moved for Sky to 1 May) Wonderful golden jubilee day - the top hospitality package. Met Eddie Firmani, Theo Foley, Sir Clive and Johnny H. CAFC 0-4 Man Utd
3-2 v York city 1975ish I was 7 I also remember going to the 4-1 against Spurs when Mark Penfold broke his leg.It was a birthday treat when I was either 10 or 11. Still going strong, only missed about 8 home games since 1991
STIG "Nice story, I take it that was the Ronny Rosenthal game. Hope so, wouldn't like to think they done us 4-0 twice."
We definitely got thumped for four that night (possibly John Barnes with the other goal?), but I'm pretty sure that we got hit for 4 the season before when Ian Rush returned and played with Aldridge. Might have been 0-3 though. They were in a grey kit, and it was my first time on a terrace. I went to get my old man some tea, and someone shoved me and the boiling contents went all over my little hands. I was most upset.
Upton Park, and Charlton lost to Milwall. Left me with no illusions.....but I'm still here! Even though my first experience was a poor performance there was something there that kept me interested.
can't remember my first game, my first memories of the Valley are me and my brother running around the vast east terrace. My earliest memories of Charlton players were Martin Robinson ( always used to shoot from outside the box and usually ended up in row Z ), Dick Tydeman ( looked like William Hartnell from doctor Who! ), Derek Hales and Paul Walsh. Great days ( apart from getting evicted from the valley of course! ). Always remember going into the smokey old Bar/lounge behind the old North Stand before a game.
1948 Crabble. 4months old. Mum went out with a friend and Dad didn't want to miss the football match. Left me outside the ground in the pram whilst he watched the game. Memories because the incident was to be recalled on endless occasions as dad's 'defence' was that he checked on me at half time.
1974/75 (February).....Barnsley v Bradford City in the old Fourth Division. 7,500 people in attendance and Barnsley were trailing 2-0 when Mick Butler came on from the bench and scored twice to earn a 2-2 draw. After the match the Bradford fans broke a few windows in the bus station and generally caused a lot of problems for the police whilst I was sat in a cafe with my cousin. I was aged 10 at the time
1995/96 season i think it was, it was Oxford United at home, i got Phil Chapple's signature, sat in the east stand at the time and a few of the players used to stop there pre match warmup to come over and sign our programmes, ah those were the days.
After pestering my Dad to take me to a match I was taken to Craven Cottage to watch Fulham v PNE on 06/10/73 ,a "thrilling" nil all,which was my 6th birthday and my excuse being we only went because of my birthday.I believe Charlton were away that day? (I should check!).My first visit to the Valley was soon after for a mid week match.I spent most of this running up and down the East Terrace then getting told off by some blokes who were actually trying to watch the game.This resulted in a clip round the earhole from the old man this was followed by a beating for tearing a page out of the program and screwing it up and throwing at the linesman for disallowing a goal.It was a good couple of seasons before he took me again.
QPR at Loftus Road 1981/82. Stood in The Loft and watched QPR annihilate Charlton 4-0 on the plastic pitch. Johns (who I understand had been excellent in the run up to this game) had a mare and Clive Allen took advantage. Watched a number of teams at QPR that year but Charlton and Orient stood way out as being the worst!
First game at The Valley was the following season when Simonsen made his debut v Boro. It was utterly shambolic but nearly had an amazing finish. I loved the quirky ground and there was something about the whole macabre package that made me come back to watch the game v QPR. Despite another heavy defeat, I loved it and have watched Charlton home and away ever since.
Southampton '76 (?). We won 4-1. Remember Osgood scoring a meaningless consolation goal for them and not celebrating, and a Soton fan outside singing about sticking a charlton programme up his ass. I've been pondering what point he was trying to make ever since.
Wow - what a brilliant first time at The Valley, was a Friday night I believe, big crowd for that era. Think we were top of the league overnight
vs Peterborough in 1994. We won 5-1, Gary Nelson hatrick, Alan Pardew and Carl Leaburn. Walking away thinking Mike Salmon was better than David Seaman and asking my dad why aren't Charlton aren't in the Prem...to be young again.
Next game i saw was about 2 weeks later v M'boro, got beat 5-2 with John Hendrie looking immense. Remember John Vaughn in goal and blaming all the goals on him and hating him with a passion. First 2 games producing 13 goals, not bad i think you'll agree.
Charlton 4 Palace 1 Leaburn scored that day I think (1991 ish), was a ball boy and remember having to climb through the scaffolding of the east stand to get the ball back!
It was 60 years ago tomorrow, Easter Monday 23rd April 1962, a second division league game against Bristol Rovers. I was 8 years old and taken by my uncle John, who perched me on the little white wall and railing at the front of the east terrace whilst he stood back against one of the crush barriers with his mate. I don't remember much about the game other than the striking blue and white quartered shirts of the opposition, the enduring smell of that embrocation or liniment or whatever it was rubbed on the players legs and the roar of the crowd when we scored. We won 2-1 with Stuart Leary scoring both goals. According to Colin Cameron's excellent book "Home and Away with Charlton Athletic 1920-2004" (will anybody ever take on an updated version - Airman?) the attendance was 16639. Not only that but we had also played on Good Friday and Easter Saturday - 3 games in 4 days (Good luck with that Chuks Aneke, Ryan Innis et al). Later in the year Uncle John took me and my kid brother (who had showed off until he was included) to a home game against Chelsea where we sat in the comparative luxury of the west stand and watched a Bobby Tambling masterclass as we slipped to a 1-4 defeat. Prior to the match Uncle John had stood us outside the Horse and Groom with lemonade and crisps while he had a pre-match pint with his mates. This became the ritual. According to my primary school "diary" entry by 25th September 1964 I had been to 27 games. Only the first half dozen or so were with uncle John before I started going with a small group of school friends and my brother. Seems crazy now and there is no way I would have let my own son go unsupervised by an adult at 9 years old. But those were different times. From memory Mum used to give us 4 shillings, which broke down as 1/6d return train fare from Abbey Wood; 1/6d entrance fee; sixpence for a programme and sixpence for sweets etc (thanks Mum). In modern money 4 shillings = 40 pence. The 1963-64 season was a memorable one, with the return of the great Eddie Firmani from Italy (he became my first real Charlton hero) and a reasonable challenge for promotion ultimately finishing in 4th place. The team that season was virtually unchanged throughout and is imprinted on my memory, as I am sure it is with Lifers of a certain age: Rose, Hewie, Kinsey; Bailey, Haydock, Tocknell; Kenning, Matthews, Firmani, Edwards, Glover.
Comments
At the age of six, you assume that all happened every week. I guess with the Viva it pretty much did.
My first memories was the noisy cardiff support and their large welsh flag.
Loved the home crowds rendition of "all you welshmen...." made me laugh.
Someone from Cardiff got a bad injury and then we had "bring on the dustbin"
Also had the "you look in the dustbin" chant.
Wooden rattles and standing on the vast east bank.
We got relegated that season but that didnt stop me being Addickted.
Bexley dan, I do remember a game in Nov 76 Friday evening v Plymouth (or GAWS - if the Exeter fan is reading this!). Won 3-1, south terrace closed off for fireworks display.
30 April 05 (then moved for Sky to 1 May) Wonderful golden jubilee day - the top hospitality package. Met Eddie Firmani, Theo Foley, Sir Clive and Johnny H. CAFC 0-4 Man Utd
I also remember going to the 4-1 against Spurs when Mark Penfold broke his leg.It was a birthday treat when I was either 10 or 11. Still going strong, only missed about 8 home games since 1991
We definitely got thumped for four that night (possibly John Barnes with the other goal?), but I'm pretty sure that we got hit for 4 the season before when Ian Rush returned and played with Aldridge. Might have been 0-3 though. They were in a grey kit, and it was my first time on a terrace. I went to get my old man some tea, and someone shoved me and the boiling contents went all over my little hands. I was most upset.
1st April 1972
Charlton 0 Norwich 2
Six years old, watched from the top of the East terrace with my Dad.
Loved every minute and started going regularly.
First game at The Valley was the following season when Simonsen made his debut v Boro. It was utterly shambolic but nearly had an amazing finish. I loved the quirky ground and there was something about the whole macabre package that made me come back to watch the game v QPR. Despite another heavy defeat, I loved it and have watched Charlton home and away ever since.
I was 8 years old and taken by my uncle John, who perched me on the little white wall and railing at the front of the east terrace whilst he stood back against one of the crush barriers with his mate.
I don't remember much about the game other than the striking blue and white quartered shirts of the opposition, the enduring smell of that embrocation or liniment or whatever it was rubbed on the players legs and the roar of the crowd when we scored. We won 2-1 with Stuart Leary scoring both goals.
According to Colin Cameron's excellent book "Home and Away with Charlton Athletic 1920-2004" (will anybody ever take on an updated version - Airman?) the attendance was 16639.
Not only that but we had also played on Good Friday and Easter Saturday - 3 games in 4 days (Good luck with that Chuks Aneke, Ryan Innis et al).
Later in the year Uncle John took me and my kid brother (who had showed off until he was included) to a home game against Chelsea where we sat in the comparative luxury of the west stand and watched a Bobby Tambling masterclass as we slipped to a 1-4 defeat.
Prior to the match Uncle John had stood us outside the Horse and Groom with lemonade and crisps while he had a pre-match pint with his mates. This became the ritual.
According to my primary school "diary" entry by 25th September 1964 I had been to 27 games.
Only the first half dozen or so were with uncle John before I started going with a small group of school friends and my brother.
Seems crazy now and there is no way I would have let my own son go unsupervised by an adult at 9 years old. But those were different times.
From memory Mum used to give us 4 shillings, which broke down as 1/6d return train fare from Abbey Wood; 1/6d entrance fee; sixpence for a programme and sixpence for sweets etc (thanks Mum).
In modern money 4 shillings = 40 pence.
The 1963-64 season was a memorable one, with the return of the great Eddie Firmani from Italy (he became my first real Charlton hero) and a reasonable challenge for promotion ultimately finishing in 4th place.
The team that season was virtually unchanged throughout and is imprinted on my memory, as I am sure it is with Lifers of a certain age: Rose, Hewie, Kinsey; Bailey, Haydock, Tocknell; Kenning, Matthews, Firmani, Edwards, Glover.